Green Bay Packers 2010 Initial Roster Predictions – 9/2/10

Preliminary Green Bay Packers roster predictions for 2010. My final predictions will come after the Packers – Chiefs preseason game has been played.

Quarterbacks

Aaron Rodgers yes

Matt Flynn yes

Graham Harrell cut – PS

The only question here is, will Harrell last on the practice squad? Having had Brian Brohm picked up off their practice squad last season, Harrell is another QB with a good college football resume. It’s very possible another team would take a chance on him. Would the Packers be tempted to do what most NFL teams do and keep 3 QBs on their roster?

Running Backs

Ryan Grant yes

Brandon Jackson yes

Kregg Lumpkin yes

Quinn Porter IR

James Starks PUP

John Kuhn yes

Korey Hall no / trade

Quinn Johnson yes

In a way, I’m relieved that things worked out the way they did for James Starks and Quinn Porter. These are two guys I believe will have success down the road, but could use a year in the gym and a chance to study Mike McCarthy’s system with no pressure. Thinking about the future, I didn’t want to lose either of these guys. As for the fullbacks, the 3FB experiment of last season is probably done. Kuhn has shown his versatility and value to the team, so it’s between Korey Hall and Quinn Johnson. I don’t think the Packers are ready to give up on Johnson after only 1 year in the league. Hall is steady at many things, but unspectacular at any. I see the Packers shopping him for a draft pick, as his special teams plays could have value to another team. If there are no takers, he is gone.

Wide Receivers

Greg Jennings yes

Donald Driver yes

James Jones yes

Jordy Nelson yes

Brett Swain yes

Charles Dillon cut-PS

Jason Chery cut

Chastin West cut-PS

Patrick Williams cut

No surprises here. The receiving corps is the same as last year. As much as I had wanted to see Charles Dillon make this team, part of that was predicated on his getting a shot at kick returning, which never happened. Surprising, since he had good success in college. I’d still like to see the Packers put him on the PS, as I like him as a bubble screen type guy who can surprise with his moves after the catch. Out of the others, I don’t believe Chery has a real shot, unless he runs back two more kicks for touchdowns in the last preseason game. I really think his TD runback in the Colts game just a perfect storm of lucky circumstances. Chastin West has shown to be steady and catches every ball thrown to him, but seems to lack the athleticism needed.

Tight Ends

Jermichael Finley yes

Andrew Quarless yes

Donald Lee trade

Tom Crabtree yes

Spencer Havner yes

This may be the toughest call on the roster. The Packers like all five guys. All five deserve to be on the team. The Packers will not want to lose Quarless and Crabtree. I don’t believe they’ll keep five, so the only way out of this predicament is to look for a trade. Although the Packers still consider Donald Lee their #2 tight end, as an experienced player with starting experience, he has the most trade value. There are several teams out there hurting for tight ends that would love to have a Donald Lee. He’d be a perfect fit for the Giants, for example. Note that I’m not advocating trading Lee, nor do I think there is a great chance of it happening. I would be perfectly happy if he stays, but I think this is a way for the Packers to not lose the younger guys and get a player in return.

Offensive Linemen

Chad Clifton yes

Mark Tauscher yes

Bryan Bulaga yes

Josh Sitton yes

Scott Wells yes

Daryn Colledge yes

Evan Dietrich-Smith yes

Jason Spitz Trade

Breno Giacomini cut/trade

Allen Barbre cut

TJ Lang yes

Marshall Newhouse yes

Nick McDonald cut-PS

Chris Campbell cut-PS

I don’t think there will a lot of surprises here. I don’t see the Packers keeping both Evan Dietrich-Smith and Spitz to serve the same backup role, so Spitz will definitely be shopped. I think he’s the most likely Packers player to be traded. I was high on McDonald coming into camp, but he was a bit overwhelmed at first. Lately he has come on and has drawn praise from Mike McCarthy, so the Packers like him, but he needs to get stronger. A year on the practice squad would be perfect for him. Campbell has shown little fire and is a long-term project, at best. Newhouse really came on the last few weeks when the Packers moved him back to tackle. Early on, I though he was in danger of not even making the team, but now I believe he’s in. Barbre and Giacomini are definitely gone, one way or the other. If TT can swindle a low draft pick for either of them, we’ll take it and run.

Defensive Line

Cullen Jenkins yes

BJ Raji yes

Ryan Pickett yes

Anthony Toribio cut-PS

Mike Neal yes

Justin Harrell yes

CJ Wilson cut-PS

Jarius Wynn yes

Ronald Talley cut

Is Harrell really healthy and can he really contribute? The makeup of the reserve DLs all revolves around the answer to that question. The Packers WANT to keep Harrell. They WANT his big body as a backup DL. I’m guessing they give him every benefit of the doubt (as they have done for 3 yrs) and keep him. That leaves the battle for the last spot (I’m keeping 6DLs) to Jarius Wynn and C.J. Wilson. They are fairly even in talent level, but Wilson has the better frame for a 3-4DE. Unfortunately, he’s too green and just not ready. Wynn is not practice squad eligible, so I think the Packers keep Wynn and try to stash Wilson on the practice squad. There’s also a very good possibility they keep 7 defensive linemen, in which case Toribio has a chance to make it, or they decide to keep Wilson on the roster.

Linebackers

Nick Barnett yes

Clay Matthews yes

AJ Hawk yes

Brad Jones yes

Brandon Chillar yes

Desmond Bishop yes

Robert Francois cut-PS

Frank Zombo yes

Brady Poppinga yes

Cyril Obiozor cut-PS

Maurice Simpkins cut

Alex Joseph cut-PS

Pretty cut and dried here. It’s obvious who the top eight linebackers are. The only question is who makes it if they decide to keep nine? I think Alex Joseph has potential to be another UDFA surprise, but practice squad would be best for him. Obiozor and Francois would seemingly have the inside track to be the ninth linebacker. Francois is probably a little more polished, but Obiozor more athletic. Obiozer sometimes seems to be lacking a passion for football to me – I don’t know that he’s in love with playing the game, like a Zombo is, for example. The other possibility is Maurice Simpkins, the Arena footballer who has been better than expected, and has shown some flashes on special teams. I don’t think any of these three will entice the Packers to keep 9 linebackers. Wouldn’t be surprised to see a LB picked up from another team.

Secondary

Nick Collins yes

Charles Woodson yes

Al Harris PUP

Atari Bigby PUP

Morgan Burnett yes

Tramon Williams yes

Will Blackmon yes

Sam Shields yes

Pat Lee yes

Brandon Underwood yes

Jarrett Bush yes

Derrick Martin yes

Charlie Peprah yes

Anthony Levine cut-PS

DJ Clark cut

Josh Bell (IR) IR

This didn’t happen intentionally, but I ended up with eleven defensive backs. I guess with Harris and Bigby on PUP, the question marks about Blackmon’s knee, Underwood’s injury and Lee’s lackluster play, I wanted as many alternative options as possible. Hell, I even kept Jarrett Bush! While I don’t really believe the Packers would keep eleven, I’ll leave my list as is for now. My last two adds were Jarret Bush and Charlie Peprah. For me, both are just insurance policies.

Specialists

Mason Crosby yes

Tim Masthay yes

Chris Bryan cut

Brett Goode yes

Although I have been rooting for Bryan, Mathsay has definitely been better the last two weeks. Bryan has the edge in positional punting, but it’s not enough to offset his inconsistency when it comes time to let go and boom one.

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-Don’t think Harrell lasts on the PS. McCarthy is a good developer of qbs and that alone might lure some team to pick him up.
-Not sure why, but why do I have a feeling the Fearsome Threesome at FB stays in tact?
-Think Obi hits the PS-liked him enough LY to stick and have to think they would like another look at him, even if his play this preseason was ok at best.
-Bush makes the final cut only because of numbers-once Harris is back and playing at a passable level have to think he’s gone.

http://allgbp.com Jersey Al

I think the main reason the 3 fullback goes away is the 5 tight end situation…

I certainly think they would like to keep obi for another year. Supposedly, there was some interest from other teams in signing him off the PS last year.

http://www.pigskinpaul.com pigskinpaul

Overall we are thinking the same, except when it comes to the DL & DB positions. ou cannot risk losing WILSON/DE when one of the guys you are keeping and counting on styaing healthy is HARRELL. You also can’t keep 11 DBs when 1 of them is BUSH. Cut BUSH and keep WILSON on the roster.
I fogot… they can’t cut BUSH because of the photos.

http://allgbp.com Jersey Al

I don’t really think they’ll keep 11 DBs, and I would have no problem with keeping Wilson. That’s something I have considered, but I wanted to wait and see Wilson in the Final preseason game before making that commitment.

Bernie

Al, I’m surprised you didn’t wait until at least tomorrow to make roster predictions. The roster spots 50-53 may well be won at tonight’s game.

http://allgbp.com Jersey Al

That’s exactly why I did this now. Notice the title says “initial” roster predictions. I wanted to establish where I thought everyone stands right now, watch the game, and then make a final prediction. So, that’s what I’m doing…

Mojo

A couple of comments about the practice squad. It is my understanding that before you can sign a player to your practice squad, the team needs to cut or release him and then any other team at that point can either sign him to their roster or their practice squad. If a team is able to clear a player without him getting claimed by another team, then they can sign him to their own practice squad. I also believe once a player is on your practice squad and he is later claimed by another team, you have right of first refusal, but you must put him on your 53 (and cut someone else). I could easily see someone like Wilson getting claimed by another team before he would even make the Packers PS. Finally, if the Pack do somehow keep Wilson consider then they would have the following on their roster:
A.J. Hawk
B.J. Raji
C.J. Wilson
D.J. Hey Mr. put a record on

http://allgbp.com Jersey Al

You are exactly correct in your statements about how the practice squad works. There are no guarantees a player will make it there or stay there.

Wilson is one guy I would worry about getting signed if cut. Most likely, after watching the game, I’ll add him to the roster and drop a DB, but I wanted to see him in action one more time, first.

David Davis

It is to my understanding that a Practice Squad is limited to 6 players. I see 10 listed here.

http://allgbp.com Jersey Al

Actually it’s 8, but I’m not predicting the practice squad here. That’s impossible because once waived, anything can happen as mojo said in his comment above. I was just identifying candidates for the practice squad.

David Davis

Just looked it up. You are allowed 8 players on a practice squad.

http://allgbp.com Jersey Al

correct

PackersRS

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Once again, Jarrett Bush, Cornerback/Safety/Gunner/Bane of my existence, makes the team.
–
Final preseason game competitions:
– FB Hall x FB Johnson X TE Crabtree. It’s a three-way battle for one spot. Unless, as you predicted, Lee gets traded. Otherwise, only one of them makes the team.
– Wr Jason Chery x Will Blackmon. The battle for the return position. If Chery can make an impact again, he might obtain the spot, specially considering Blackmon’s health, or lack thereof.
– DE C.J. Wilson x DE Jarius Wynn. No way the Packers enter the season with just 5 DL. Neither of them is nowhere near ready to play, so Harrell gets the nod over them. But there’s still one spot left.
– DB Derrick Martin x DB Jarrett Bush. With Shields a lock to make the team, he’ll most certainly be one of the gunners. This will leave those two battling for the other spot. Needless to say, GOOOOO DERRICK! I think Peprah has one spot till Bigby comes back, then he’s gone.